The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-09-30
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Geo. W. Peck givss OAK osa . rsstline
good Sod Of IN his paper, Rsek,s SsA. Of
the 10th inst. Aftsr writing Of the
hardships INFLICTED upon poor settlers by
the high price Of coal. he suggests o rem.
edY that Il not without the elements Of
. common n theory. All Dakota
would blees the celebrated humorist and
transport him free Of cost ali oyer the
territory Cd his annual hunting expe-
ditions II he would get the railroads 10
carry out his ideas. Here is what he
says:
For the past two weeks I have been
having Q monkey and . parrot time,
sway out West, in Minnesota and Dako.
te. ostensibly for che purpose of shooting
chickens, but really 70 get exercise chas-
Ing the Wild. ontamsd Jack Pot. BY
night. md walking over scenery BY day,
using disguised profanity u ~ expsase
OF sptke-tailed dog, that ISOLATED eopA.
en- instead Of cAlcksos. hssupinS he
a6oreaaid dogs viii b1eu whips. I'D
developing muscle and sppsslis sseA -
man never had before unless training for
. prize tight. Il b moi my 1stention to
publtsh IN elaborate essay ON the subject
Of Ahooting innoosns biFdA tha& nsver did
aay hsrm, or on he subjecs of tsainlne
pups. ! have put In two weeks getting
Aeas about Q country that Il destinsd %
BE- The Erandest In he union, II Il has
half ashow, aAd II any idse thas I have
secured. - bsns0t that country, I shall
feel Il . pleasure TO advocate It, and In
some measure repay the people living on
those prairies, who hav0 shown uAususl
kindness to me. and to those with whom
was travelling.
Western Minnesota and Dskoaa no
Just now betwixt and between. They
arc not unsettled prairie, aud they arc
not settled enough to be crowded.
Those who are there have the hardships
incident to pioneers In every new count
~. Many Of them have had enough. aud
want to get away. and that fact keeps
many others from settling there. There
10 . screw loose, and II shall DO my OBJ
ject. and pleasure. TO tighten that screw,
. cent. / am going I abuse tho rail-
roads of the west, just . little for luck.
For twenty years have believed in
railroads, and have supposed they knew
their business better than I did, but this
trip has convinced me that they can learn
something e from me.
Now, l suppose I could prove by sev.
eral reliable witnesses, that I have not
got much Of . head on mo, and that 1 do
not know very much. In comparison
with railroad directors. capitalists, man.
Ayers and superintendents l would not be
worth . cent. doubt II I could get q
position u boss Of . gang Of section
hands, but no oae will accuse me Of be.
ing unable 70 see . hole IN . ladder. I
would like to take Q few railroad direct.
OBS. who had three months 70 spare. I
would take them in . democrat waSon.
and drive them Owe those pYairies, and
visit the farm houses, and talk with the
people. and when I got done with those
directors they would admit that they had
learned something. and they would take
the advice Of . n ordinary red.headed
man. and In i've years they would make
the railroads thst run across these prsi-
ries pay - we'll - tie railroads Of Wis
consin. Illinois or lows. would advise
them to stop holding out inducements to
emierants from other countries to come
here without money AID take MP Q larRe
quantity Of land. Nine-tenths Of thsm
are . damage to the coustly and 70 The
railroads. They will live for years and
never cultivate forty acres. while they
own I've or six hundred. One Illinois
or Wisconsin farmer with money, and
they all have money, 10 worth . dozen
poor emigrants. Tho eastern farmer
who sells out his farm and goes to west.
ern Minnesota or Dakota. would be .
capitalist. He could buy . farm Of some
Of the land-pOor creatures who live in
sod houses or shanties. build q house
that any man might be proud Of. and
raise . family Of children in luxury. and
help develop a country that it will take
half 9 century to develop with pauper
emigrant agents, and Geek farmers In we'll
settled states who want to go west. but
who will not do so If they have to burn
hay. And how will you prevent their
burning hay somebody will ask. Just
this way. I would have every car that
now goes west empty, after wheat, carry
coal. would have railroads make .
speciality Of laying down soft coal at ev-
cry station 1t absolute cost. say two dol
lars . ton. Il can be boght for $3.50 .
ton ct the mines Of Illinois or lows. Let
the railroads carry It free, II necessary.
II would b no worss than carrying
many other things free that railroads
carry. including bald-hesded editors.
Let them charge for Tie actual wear snd
tear Of trains. and for help, end they
could furnish coal at two dollars . ton
to farmers and. residents Of the far west.
and they would not lose . dollar. Then
advertise all over Gods creation that for
the next ton yeazs coal will be furnished
to actual settlers on these vast psaiies ct
two dollars . ton, and there would be an
emigration Of farmers who have money
and who know how TO a1Mm, divsrsify
crops, and nake money. They would
buy out those poor devils who ess stsuR.
Cling under . load Of debt with their
hundreds Of acres Of uncultivated laad,
and b whole country would boon, and
be covered with nics houaas. aud happy
people would drive blooded horses Into
the thriving little town. The station
agents could handle the coal, weighing.
etc, aud the farmers would be mighty
glad Is shovel 1t into their wagons IL
they could get it cheap. The coal deal
ers that now take the last dollar Q man
has got could quit business, and In ten
years railroad owners would thank me
for the Suggestions here made. and may
be give me . pass over all lines. Let the
different railroads compete with each
other to see how cheap they can lay
down cosl for the farmers, as we'll as to
compete on the price they pay for wheat,
and an era of prosperity will commence
out that way, that will cause the hair to